Means for holding labels on platen



July 23, 1957 H. R. sYMoNDs MEANS FOR HOLDING LABELS oN PLATEN Filed April 2l. 1953 7' TURA/E' Y United States Patenti@ MEANS FOR HOLDING LABELS'ONPLTEN Henry R. Symonds, SanBruno, Calif.

Application April A21, 1953, Serial No. `350,180

8 Claims. (Cl. 197`136) This invention` relates -to new Aand useful improvements in means forholding small papers .ona platen while typewriting. More particularly, the invention ,relates to a Adevice which may be attached ,to Atheplaten ,of ,a typewriter to hold labels, tags and other small .pieces of paper ,-inposition While being typed.

.fort are wasted. Accordingly it is a principal o'bject of the invention .to provide ameans for;retaining a label in proper position on a typewriterplaten while itis being typed. It :will be understood, of course, .,thatthe same .device may be employedfor othersmall piecesof paper where a similar retention problem occurs.

One of the features .of this inventionis `that .the devicecomprises only a thin piece of papencellulosic lmaterial, cloth, oiled silk, .-or otherllexiblesubstance carrying adhesive, which may :be .attached .to the platen and may be removed when required. .When in` place, it may .be employed for the purpose intended, but whennot in use its nature makes it possible to use .,tltetypewriter for any desired purpose without ,the necessity ofremoving the sticker.

Another vadvantage of. the, invention is thatitssimplicity makes installation and removal rapid and easy With-.out .use of;.any .tool-s or withoutthenecessity of, .instruction ofgthe user.

.Anotherteature of the .invention is1the-ease .and rapidity with which labels may .be inserted .1in position -and .then withdrawn.

`Still anotherfeature of the inventiomislthat,thede- Vvice `is readilyadaptediasanadvertisingrnetliunr. Ihus for such devicesas maybe employed inrtyping vdruggists Yprescriptionflabels,'theace mayhehprinted with adverrising copy of` a drug Sunnis/'house '.lhellow .cosh and intrinsic nature of the pllQluct makes'it ideally suited fonsuch an advertising medium, and'itspreserlce installed on the platen of the typewriter ',jbringsithe advertising message -to the attentionof ltliedruggist at freguent'inf tervals duringeach working'hour. Y

"The foregoing and other objects. and advantages of the invention will ibecome apparent upon reading the `following detailed description. of 'the' invention, reference being ha'd to1the accompanying drawings, 4in* which: "Fig l isa schematic;perspectiveiof atypewritenplaten `anda-sticker axedtheretm 'showing-a label held in -position.

AFigfZisa-plan -ofgthe back'of' la stickenshowing -a temporary protective strip coveringthe adhesive ybeing-torn awa-y. Y

f 3 i is-a plan of Vrthe back' ofa---modiedsticken -F1g. Allis aplano'f` the-back ofanother modified st-ieker. #Fig i355; is aL plan ofthe back t of another mo'died--stiken I 2,800,214 Patented .July 23, 19.5 7

The present invention is `described herein Aas applied :to the typingl of druggists prescription labels, suchas the labels affixed to bottles, tubes andboxesin which prescription medicines are dispensed. Labels of `this ynature `are generally small in dimensions and their length is suc'h that Awhen they are. rolled into typing position :on the platen of a standard typewriter they arenot secured in .place by the pressure rolls which function to retain conventional size Apaper in position. Accordingly, :unless held';manually, such la'bels shift position while being typed, detracting from the appearance of the label. rAlthough the invention has other .uses than in the. typing of prescription labels, .the following description willhe specific to that use, it being understood that it is-not` in .tended that the scopefof the invention KVbe limited merely to the typing of such labels.

In the accompanying drawings, .reference numeral 10 .represents a conventionalfcylindrical .typewriter platen. vA `small paper `label 11 is to be heldin place on platen 10 while` `being typed, and sticker 12, which is the subject of this invention, is employed -toeretain label 11 in place. .Sticker .12 may bear .advertising `indicia on its front, `if desired, particularly if the device is furnished by a ,Snpplierof the `user Without charge. It will be understood that the thickness of sticker 12 is so slight that its .-presence on platen 10 while the typewriter is being used ,for purposes .other `than typing labels does not Vmar the v.appearance `of the typed '.work. Instead of 'being di- .,reetly attached to the platen, sticker 12 may be attached to. a piece of paper .or otherysheet material which is rolled aroundtheplaten 10, and the .paper with the sticker `attached may be removed and reinserted when desired.

`Stieker..12.bears adhesive material 13 on its back, such material being .of a pressure-sensitive type or an adhesive which willmore permanently cause adherence of `the `device to the platen. In order to prevent one device from sticking to another while the two are being trans.

,ported to the place of ,use 'andstored preparatory to use, it i s desirable to place a protective covering 16 over the adhesive, this ,covering being a smooth cellulosic materialwhieh can readily be removed from the adhesive without dislodging thesame from the back of the sticker. ^The lcovering 1.6 is removed immediately prior to use.

The ,important feature of this `invention `is that vthe .back of sticker. 12 is coated .with adhesive except for a narrow rectangularbandor zone i7, .slightlywiderthan the Widthof the'label lland ywith a veryfshort length of approximately. one-quarter inch. One marginal edge of label 11 tits under band17 and. hence label 1 1 does not stick tov theadhesive 13. The area of the 'back of sticker 12 immediately adjacent band 17 'does carry adhesive vand Stocks to *platen 10. 'By reason `of .the `small area kof zone '17 and the presence immediately adjacent thereto `of adhesive engaging platen 10, `:sufficient rpressure i-s maintained onthe edge of label .11 to retain the same in proper position when typing is being performed. There is no impediment to manual removal of label .11 after completion of typing since therefis no adherence of the "'la'belto sticker 12.

Figs 2to 4' illustratejthree ways-in which Va `small zone "of nonadhesive lsurface maybe created'fon'the Abackol stiekerlZ surroundedbyadhesive -1f3. AsAshownlnfFig. 2, covering 21"6 *is formed n'with @two transverse eperforaf j tion -lir 1es t18 alongA4 which .the covering may be i torn. lTo *facilitate the=-tearingaction, tabs 19 of covering ".16 may extend outward -at-eaeh side `edge lo,fthe=sticker so 'that `the eoveringmay=be=grasped Withfthefngers. "Pairs of 'longitudinal perforations 121,112.1 .and 22, 22 extendlfrom -transversellines18tothe Anearest margins. The corners Z3 fof --the stickermay lbeexposed "by removing fthe porvtion. 24 of covering 516 tlmetween `longitudinal hperforation '521A or '22 and thelongitudinal margin. -"("See especiallyfthe lower left corner of Fig. 2.) The exposed corners 23 stick to platen and thus increase the pressure tending to hold label 11 in place. Two or more spaced perforations 21 or 22 may be employed to accommodate different Widths of labels, the user selecting a pair of lines a proper distance apart for accommodation of the label to be employed.

It will be observed thattransverse perforation lines 18 are formed at the top and the bottom of sticker 12, yand thus the device Vmay be employed to engage either the top edge of a -label 11, as illustrated in Fig. l, or the bottom edge of a label placed above sticker 12. Choice of whether the top or bottom edge of the label is engaged, and hence whether the top or bottom zone 17 is left remaining on the back of sticker 12, is a matter of choice of the user, although the presence of printing or ornamentation at the top or bottom of label 11 influences the selection.

Sticker 31, shown in Fig. 3, differs somewhat in construction. Although not shown in the drawing, a protective covering which may be readily peeled from ad- Y hesive 32 may be employed during transportation and prior to use. It is not necessary that such protective covering be perforated or scored, as is the case with covering 16 shown in Fig. 2. Adhesive 32 completely covers the back of sticker 31. Extending inward from the top and bottom transverse margins a distance of approximately one-quarter inch are a plurality of pairs of longitudinal slits 33, 33 and 34, 34. Sticker 31 may be folded back from yeither transverse margin between any two such slits. Thus the front surface, which carries no adhesive, covers a small zone of the back of the sticker by reason of the folding operation thus producing a zone 36 on the back of the sticker which is non-adherent in the same manner that area 17 of sticker 12 is non-adherent. The top edge of label 11 may be slipped under zone 36 when sticker 31 is attached to platen 10. As has been stated back either the top or bottom or both portions of sticker 31 and may fold between any two slits 33 or 34, depending upon the width of label being used.

In the moditication of Fig. 4, sticker 41 is formed with Vwith reference to sticker 12, the user may choose to fold Y a strip ot adhesive 42 down the middle and the corners 43 are likewise covered with adhesive leaving exposed along the center of each top and bottom edge zones 44 which do not adhere to platen 10. Hence the upper or lower edge of a label 11 may be slipped under the zone 44 and held in position. Preferably the unused edge of the sticker is trimmed so that the part which does not adhere and is not being used does not tear.

In the modification of Fig. 5, sticker 51 is formed with a backing of adhesive 52. A central slit 53 is formed in the sticker, slit 53 being dimensioned long enough to accommodate the width of the label 11 with which it is f to be used. A temporary backing 54 is placed as a protective covering for the adhesive 53, with a spaced pair of parallel, transverse perforations 56 therein, slit 53 coinciding with one of said perforations 56. Longitudinal pairs of perforations 57-57 and 58-58 extend between perforations 56.

Slit 53 is formed by the user between any two perforations 57 or 58 coinciding with one of perforations 56, using a razor blade, for example. Which of 4lines 56 is used depends on whether the top or bottom of the label 11 is to be inserted under the sticker. Thereafter parts 59 of covering 54 are torn back along perforations 56, as shown in Fig. 5, to expose the adhesive. Subsequently parts 61 are also removed exposing additional adhesive on either side of the covered part.

Assuming, as shown in Fig.y 5, that the top `edge of a label is to be inserted, then the user forms slit 53 to proper length for the label and tears back coverings 59 along lines 56. Coverings 61 are alsopeeled back to line 57 (or 58, as the case may be), leaving in place the center of the original covering. The sticker 51 is 4 then applied to a platen, the top edge of label 11 to be used extending through slit 53. By reason of the presence of the central part of the original protective covering, label 11 does not adhere to the sticker.

Although the present invention has been described in Vsome detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a typewriter platen, of means for retaining labels on said platen during typewriting comprising a sticker on said platen, adhesive on one face of said sticker adapted to adhere to said platen, and means covering said adhesive along at least a portion of at least one marginal edge of said sticker whereby a label slipped under said sticker in the zone of said covering means does not adhere to said sticker, said sticker adhering to said platen in the area removed from said means covering said adhesive.

2. Means for retaining labels on a platen during typewriting comprising a sticker, adhesive on one face of said sticker adapted to adhere to said platen, and covering means detachably secured to said adhesive, said covering means being transversely perforated, whereby said covering means may be partially removed and said sticker may be adhered to said platen in the area where said covering means has been removed, said covering means covering said adhesive between the perforations and one marginal edge of said sticker.

3. Means for retaining labels on a platen during typewriting comprising a sticker, adhesive on one face of said sticker adapted to adhere to said platen, and covering means detachably secured to said adhesive, said covering means being transversely perforated, whereby said covering means may be partially removed and said sticker is adapted to adhere to a platen fin the area where said covering mean-s has been removed, said covering means covering said adhesive between the perforations and one marginal edge of said sticker, whereby a label slipped under said sticker in the covered zone does not adhere to said sticker, said covering means also being longitudinally perforated between transverse perforations and the adjacent transverse margin adjacent corners of said sticker, the corners of said sticker adjacent said covered zone being adapted to adhere to said platen.

4. Means for retaining labels on a platen during type- Writing comprising a sticker, adhesive on one face of said sticker adapted to adhere to said platen, and covering means detachably secured to -said adhesive, said covering means being transversely perforated, and being formed with Va plurality of longitudinal perforations between transverse perforations and adjacent transverse margins, said covering means being severable from said adhesive except in a zone between one of said transverse perforations and one of said transverse margins and two of said longitudinal perforations to expose a zone of adhesive, said zone of exposed adhesive being adapted to adhere to said platen.

5 The combination with a typewriter platen, of means for retaining labels on lsaid platen during typewriting comprising a sticker ron said platen, adhesive on one face of said sticker adapted to adhere to said platen, said sticker being formed with at least two short, parallel, longitudinal slits extending inward from one transverse margin of said sticker, said sticker being folded back parallel to said transverse margin between said slits to cover adhesive in a zone adjacent said marginal edge, whereby a label slipped under said sticker in the zone of said covering does not adhere to said sticker, the exposed portions of said adhesive adhering to saidplaten.

6. The combination with a typewriter platen, of means forretaining labels on said platen during typewriting comprising a sticker on said platen, adhesive on one face of said 4sticker adapted to adhere to said platen, said sticker bein-g formed with a plurality of short, parallel longitudinal slits extending inward from one Atransverse margin of said sticker, said sticker being folded back parallel to said transverse margin between two of said slits to cover said adhesive in a zone adjacent said marginal edge having a length equal to the distance between said last-named Islits and a width equal lto the length of said,

slits, whereby a label slipped under said sticker in the zone of said covering does not adhere to said sticker, the uncovered zone of said adhesive adhering to said platen.

7. The combination with a typewriter platen, of means for retaining labels on said platen during typewriting comprising a sticker on lsaid platen, adhesive on one face of said sticker adhering to said platen, said adhesive being discontinuous along at least a portion of at least one transverse marginal edge in a non-adherent zone, whereby a label slipped under said sticker in said nonadherent zone does not adhere to said sticker.

8. The combination with a typewriter platen, of means for retaining labels on said platen during typewriting comprising a sticker on said platen, and adhesive on one faceof said sticker adhering to said platen, said adhesive being discontinuous in a zone of small area eX- posed to the back of said sticker, whereby a label slipped under said sticker in said zone does not adhere to said sticker.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 582,707 Webb May 18, 1897 1,376,683 De Saussure May 3, 1921 1,883,421 Stevens Oct. 18, 1932 2,030,135 Carpenter Feb. 11, 1936 2,095,437 Fox Oct. 12, 1937 2,096,389 Bode Oct. 19, 1937 2,170,147 Lane Aug. 22, 1939 2,191,704 Bennett Feb. 27, 1940 2,231,859 Karfol Feb. 11, 1941 2,246,984 Palmer June 24, 1941 2,307,406 Howard Ian. 5, 1943 2,391,539 Avery Dec. 25, 1945 

